Attachment to God may lead to increased job satisfaction

March 2: People who feel attached to God are more likely to be emotionally committed to their workplace and satisfied with their jobs, says a new study.

Attachment to God may have a “spillover effect” as a buffer against negative emotions and experiences, thus helping people to cope with workplace challenges, said lead study author Blake Kent from Baylor University in Texas, US.

“Attachment to God may relate to a sense of safety and confidence that encourages exploration of the world — and as adults, our primary form of exploration is work,” Kent explained.

The findings were published online in the journal Review of Religious Research.

The research is an analysis of data from Baylor Religion Survey 2011, a national random survey about Americans’ religious attitudes, beliefs and values that was conducted by The Gallup Organisation.

Respondents in this study included 860 adults who are full- or part-time employees or volunteers and who believe in God or a higher power.

The study found that people who looked at work as a ‘mission from God’ or as serving God, even if it is a very commonplace job without religious orientation, showed higher levels of motivation, stronger coping skills, lower absenteeism and higher work satisfaction.

“Research suggests that workplaces which allow their employees to engage in spiritual activity at work — even if it’s just 15 minutes a day of meditation — tend to see boosts in employee satisfaction,” Kent said.

“What we’re doing here is providing evidence that how people relate to God matters for their commitment and satisfaction at work,” Kent noted.